First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)

[Class 33]

Thank you for your replies to my last comment TheGrandWazoo and Citistar. And also to 317 forever for your short reply.

I didn't mention in that posting at the time. But that same day I also was unable to get a Bristol Rider Week ticket on Stagecoach too. I got on the 3X service at Aztec West Roundabout to travel back home to Redland. I asked the driver for a Bristol Rider Week ticket. He said there was no weekly Bristol Rider ticket available, only a Bristol Rider DAY ticket! I said there is as I've brought loads of them before. He looked again on his ticket machine to try to find the ticket. He said "No. There's not a weekly Bristol Rider on here.". As with my unsuccessful attempt to buy one on a First bus that morning, I had to just give up and get a single ticket instead again. I was very annoyed this day at this happening on both First bus and Stagecoach!

I sent an email of complaint to Stagecoach West last Thursday. As of yet, I've had no reply back and beginning to wonder if I will now. Yesterday I also emailed First to complain about it and suggested that all drivers in the Bristol need to be briefed how to issue Bristol Rider Week tickets! Though it then said to allow up to 14 days for a reply! So if they do reply, their reply won't be very quick!

I also thought I could solve this issue for me by buying one of these tickets at one of the MetroBus bus stop ticket machines. It does give you the option of buying weekly tickets and then tickets for multi-operators, and even a Bristol Rider Week ticket. Good I thought! But this only available to be loaded onto SmartCards! From these ticket machines you can buy paper tickets for single journeys and day tickets, but not weekly tickets! Why not? It can't be that difficult for these machines to print weekly tickets can it! I don't fully trust SmartCards, as I've had problems with them going faulty in the past. I had a GWR SmartCard 4 years ago which I used for weekly tickets for journeys on the Severn Beach Line. But after a few weeks the card went faulty and was showing as invalid when I tried activating it on the SmartCard reader. And could be a bit of hassle and time consuming proving to the conductors that I had purchased a weekly ticket on there. In the end I just gave up using it, and went back to buying paper tickets. So am not a fan of these SmartCards! As they're not smart enough to not go wrong!

Anyway, these bus companies don't make it very easy to buy these Bristol Rider tickets do they!

I will be attempting to buy a Bristol Rider Week ticket again this Friday. But wouldn't be atall surprised if I have the same problem again, with the driver saying "There's no such thing as Bristol Rider Week ticket" and/or "There's not a Bristol Rider Week ticket on this machine, so I can't print one out for you."!

 

[Citistar]

Anyway, these bus companies don't make it very easy to buy these Bristol Rider tickets do they!

If i were still operating, i'd be happy to sell you one!

 

[Private Baxter]

Looks like the 173 will stay, although reports suggest the 126 might go instead!

Wells to Bath bus service is saved - but the service between Wells and Weston now faces the chop

First have scrapped plans to axe the 173 bus between Wells and Bath. But the 126 is earmarked to be cancelled.

wells.nub.news

The 173 bus route between Wells and Bath has been saved.

Last month it was revealed that bus company First was planning to axe the service saying, "Patronage on the 173 remains far below pre-Covid levels and we are having to take some very difficult decisions" and citing driver shortages as a reason for cutting services.

The news prompted outrage, and as the 173 is the only route serving East Wells, South Horrington, West Horrington, Gurney Slade, Binegar and Chilcompton, there were fears that without the bus service many people living in the villages would find themselves cut off.

Bus user groups formed, petitions were started, and scores of letters were written to councillors, the MP and to Frist Bus.

And it seems as if First has bowed to the pressure.

Today (Wednesday, August 3), Somerset County Council received correspondence from First Bus, registering the proposed changes across the area. And although there are some minor – yet to be confirmed – changes planned to the 173 timetable, the service is no longer one of those for the chop.

However, the 126 service between Wells and Weston will be scrapped.

 

[CD]

Looks like the 173 will stay, although reports suggest the 126 might go instead!

Wells to Bath bus service is saved - but the service between Wells and Weston now faces the chop

First have scrapped plans to axe the 173 bus between Wells and Bath. But the 126 is earmarked to be cancelled.

wells.nub.news

Scrapping the 126 will leave more people without a service than cancelling the 173. Looks like they are fishing for a subsidy.

 

[Private Baxter]

Scrapping the 126 will leave more people without a service than cancelling the 173. Looks like they are fishing for a subsidy.

Very true. The 126 has always been less predictable than the other Wells routes, sometimes doing a good trade, sometimes not. Was always surprised at the move to deckers though.

 

[matt_splat]

Very true. The 126 has always been less predictable than the other Wells routes, sometimes doing a good trade, sometimes not. Was always surprised at the move to deckers though.

Dropping either frees up drivers from Wells to take back the Norton Radstock work fully while bath get more drivers for uni work.

Simply moving Chilcompton onto the 174 and extending the 172 hourly to Wells via the A37 and 173 route would prob do exactly the same

 

[Citistar]

Reports through a usually reliable source suggest that 126 is indeed going and D2 will be reduced to an hourly service Mon-Sat, with evenings only running on Saturday and no Sunday service. Both from the second weekend in October.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Reports through a usually reliable source suggest that 126 is indeed going and D2 will be reduced to an hourly service Mon-Sat, with evenings only running on Saturday and no Sunday service. Both from the second weekend in October.

The 126 was always a bit marginal - home to the oldest vehicles in the Badgerline and First fleets. In respect of @Private Baxter's decker comment, I think it was always about just not having a small single decker fleet in Wells.

As for the changes to the D2, the reduction to hourly isn't a shock. However, a little surprised that evening journeys aren't retained on Fridays and Saturdays, and the Sunday service looked to have decent loadings whenever I saw it, which is pretty often.

 

[Citistar]

The 126 was always a bit marginal - home to the oldest vehicles in the Badgerline and First fleets. In respect of @Private Baxter's decker comment, I think it was always about just not having a small single decker fleet in Wells.

As for the changes to the D2, the reduction to hourly isn't a shock. However, a little surprised that evening journeys aren't retained on Fridays and Saturdays, and the Sunday service looked to have decent loadings whenever I saw it, which is pretty often.

First are clearly juggling things to avoid having to employ so many agency and external staff for the new University terms. 172 appears to be moving back towards Wells, which suggests they are taking over the Midsomer Norton - Bath corridor in order to free up Bath drivers to pound up and down Bathwick Hill. Trying to explain to a passenger in Locking that they're losing their service to Weston in order to provide buses to Bath University might be a difficult one though.

Sunday D2 has always been a reasonable proposal for commercial operation, ever since it stopped being the Bath &NE Somt sponsored 767. I seem to recall that upon retendering one year, the revenue figures were published and at least two operators said they'd do it commercially. As one of those was First, they kept it. It could really do with Faresaver back on the X67 to kick their arse back in to behaving like a commercial entity rather than this excrutiating managed decline they seem intent upon.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sunday D2 has always been a reasonable proposal for commercial operation, ever since it stopped being the Bath &NE Somt sponsored 767. I seem to recall that upon retendering one year, the revenue figures were published and at least two operators said they'd do it commercially. As one of those was First, they kept it. It could really do with Faresaver back on the X67 to kick their arse back in to behaving like a commercial entity rather than this excrutiating managed decline they seem intent upon.

As I've said before, I've yet to see many positive moves from the Claringbold era. As for Faresaver, I was a little surprised that they didn't take on the D1/265 when First pulled that.

 

[DaveHarries]

Reports through a usually reliable source suggest that 126 is indeed going

I can't help wondering if Stagecoach might have a swipe at it but that is a great deal of dead mileage for them and, from what I hear, they are short enough of drivers as it is.

Dave

 

[volvob12]

As I've said before, I've yet to see many positive moves from the Claringbold era. As for Faresaver, I was a little surprised that they didn't take on the D1/265 when First pulled that.

According to desperate Dan (or should it be devastatin’ Dan now ) the 5 and Y3-5 are being cut back with the Y6 altered to mitigate effects -

WE CAN’T MAGIC UP BUS DRIVERS, WARNS MAYOR, AS BUS COMPANIES ANNOUNCE CUTS

Severe bus driver shortages coupled by the withdrawal of Covid funding by the Conservative Government means local people face more bus cuts. The majority of bus services in the West of England are …

votedan.uk

Bus companies have announced they plan to cut local services including the 5 (Downend to Bristol) as well as the Y3, Y4 and Y5 services (all Yate to Bristol). There is also a proposed route change to the Y6 – it will now serve Frampton Cottrell and Winterbourne following the Y4 withdrawal. Stagecoach also declined to run the 12/622 supported service.

With the rumoured withdrawal of the 178 as well things certainly aren’t looking good. I was reading elsewhere this week about the use of minibuses replacing full size buses on the likes of the 178 and Y5 and running to a hub such as Lyde Green, to link into the network. It’s not ideal but I certainly think that could be a way of keeping links going for now.

I can't help wondering if Stagecoach might have a swipe at it but that is a great deal of dead mileage for them and, from what I hear, they are short enough of drivers as it is.

Dave

Seeing as Stagecoach can’t run the services they have in Bristol at the moment, and have declined to operate existing tendered services, it would be eye opening to say the least.

 

[Private Baxter]

It's a dark time for the industry. Whilst driver shortages are not the only factor, as Citistar says, I can't see people in places like Cheddar, Axebridge etc being too sympathetic about Bath uni students when they are losing their only bus service. There won't be much left at this rate.

 

[RELL6L]

The imminent loss of the 126 is very shocking. I have always liked the service, it was the last stronghold of REs at Wells in Badgerline days and is scenic. I was looking forward to a trip on it on a decker - I had always thought overhanging buildings in Axbridge made this impossible. To go from hourly to nothing is a terrible cut. The 178 has always been a bit more marginal but it ought not to be withdrawn completely. Trouble is there is no-one else out there, the authorities seem to have pandered to First to the detriment of everyone else and now there is little alternative. Stagecoach in Bristol seem absolutely terrible at the moment and they don't even want to operate their existing services - are we going to see unreplaced cuts there too (the 12 and 622 are talked about). There barely seems enough then for Stagecoach to bother staying in Bristol. And I agree it is a strange explanation to make to the good people of Cheddar etc that they are losing their bus service so that Wells resources can be used more on the 171-174 to provide more resources in Bath for uni students! I don't know what the solution is - will Yellow Buses going under lead to a bit of focus on the industry - sorry, no, tax cuts are more important!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I've travelled on the 126 many times, from REs tp Darts to B10BLEs and latterly B7 Eclipses. It is a route that I've seen full loads and also been much quieter. However, it was always one that seemed to probably pay its way... just. So is the reason that it simply doesn't wash its face now - that it had the older fleet members was an indication that it wasn't the biggest payer. However, it was (pre-Covid) about to get a new identity as the Strawberry so must have had some potential?

I'm surprised that they cannot seemingly resource the 126 from Wells if they take on the Radstock corridor, if that is the reason. However, it again shows the short-sighted approach in closing the Westbury outstation. With the cuts to the D2, that would reduce Discover to just 6 vehicles but that would still mean an outbase of 10 or more drivers. Enough to justify itself, almost be self managing AND so reduce the impact on Bath depot so they could resource the Uni work.

As for the Discover network, it's quite something that it began with a fleet of 17 vehicles in 2018.

 

[Private Baxter]

I had completely forgotten about the plans to brand the 126 the "Strawberry route"! A lot has happened in the world since then.

And yes, from a promising start in 2018, Discover has virtually died and is pretty much irrelevent now.

 

[baza585]

I've travelled on the 126 many times, from REs tp Darts to B10BLEs and latterly B7 Eclipses. It is a route that I've seen full loads and also been much quieter. However, it was always one that seemed to probably pay its way... just. So is the reason that it simply doesn't wash its face now - that it had the older fleet members was an indication that it wasn't the biggest payer. However, it was (pre-Covid) about to get a new identity as the Strawberry so must have had some potential?

I'm surprised that they cannot seemingly resource the 126 from Wells if they take on the Radstock corridor, if that is the reason. However, it again shows the short-sighted approach in closing the Westbury outstation. With the cuts to the D2, that would reduce Discover to just 6 vehicles but that would still mean an outbase of 10 or more drivers. Enough to justify itself, almost be self managing AND so reduce the impact on Bath depot so they could resource the Uni work.

As for the Discover network, it's quite something that it began with a fleet of 17 vehicles in 2018.

I suspect the plan is to get council subsidy.

I was always puzzled by the deckering of the 126. In a group generally short on deckers, it seemed wasteful.

I think it's unlikely the 126 will disappear completely. I expect a reduced tendered service. Maybe @Citistar might be tempted out of retirement.......

 

[Dai Corner]

I think it's unlikely the 126 will disappear completely. I expect a reduced tendered service. Maybe @Citistar might be tempted out of retirement.......

Or perhaps Alan Peters of Abus? He looked to be enjoying himself at the Bristol bus show on Sunday.




Statement from North Somerset Council this afternoon

Council working to save bus routes following more cuts

North Somerset Council is looking at ways to continue local services in response to the latest announcement of further cuts proposed by commercial bus company First

n-somerset.gov.uk

North Somerset Council is looking at ways to continue local services in response to the latest announcement of further cuts proposed by commercial bus company First.

In common with bus services across the country, passenger numbers on some local routes have failed to recover quickly enough following the pandemic. Central government Covid-19 relief funding will also be withdrawn later this year.
The services are expected to be removed in October and would leave some communities without bus services, cutting links to shops, employment, hospitals, schools and colleges.
The three services in question are:

• X2 (Yatton to Bristol).
• X5 (Weston-super-Mare to Bristol, serving Clevedon and Portishead).
• 126 (Weston-super-Mare to Wells, serving Locking, Banwell, Sandford and Winscombe).

The council recently announced that significant investment will be made in bus services over the next three years thanks to a successful bid for funding from the Department for Transport (DfT), made in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority. Work will include the delivery of the council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. However, the council has been told that the DfT funding can’t be used to support services that are commercially unsustainable, such as the X2, X5 and 126.
The council is warning that it's unlikely to be able to arrange a solution where every service under threat is saved and difficult decisions will have to be made.
Councillor Steve Hogg, North Somerset Council’s executive member with responsibility for transport and highways, said: “Buses play a vital role serving the communities of North Somerset. They help residents go to work, shop and access vital services such as schools, colleges and health services. They're also key to our response to the climate emergency.
“Commercial bus companies operate the vast majority of bus routes in North Somerset and decide where and how often these run. We recognise the challenges they face – there is a shortage of drivers and usage hasn’t yet returned to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We haven’t yet received the funding to deliver our Bus Service Improvement Plan and unfortunately the government will not allow us to use this funding to replace routes like-for-like. Without additional government funding, we can’t afford to replace current routes. We are committed to lobbying government and working with partners, communities and bus operators to explore every avenue to maintain vital services wherever possible.
“The Government needs to act now – financial support to bus companies must continue until passenger numbers are closer to pre-pandemic levels. Across North Somerset, we’ve seen around 75 per cent of passengers return to services, underlining just how critical these buses are to our communities.”
First intends to introduce their changes in North Somerset on Sunday 9 October 2022.

 

[-Colly405-]

According to desperate Dan (or should it be devastatin’ Dan now ) the 5 and Y3-5 are being cut back with the Y6 altered to mitigate effects -

The Y3 and Y4 going would leave Winterbourne with just one bus a day to Bristol, on the 626, now that the Eurotaxis EPR routes have also gone.

 

[Citistar]

The Y3 and Y4 going would leave Winterbourne with just one bus a day to Bristol, on the 626, now that the Eurotaxis EPR routes have also gone.

On the assumption that Eurotaxis have taken up the option of extending the tender for service 626.

I find it very interesting that many of the services which are suddenly considered no longer commercially viable are very similar to corridors which West of England Combined Authority (WECA) have earmarked for "innovative" new bus service improvement plan (BSIP) services. Winterbourne will probably get a bus every 15 minutes to Emersons Green to connect with the M3, because that's what passengers want (apparently). This whole BSIP/Enhanced Parnership/Bus Back Better scenario is so flawed, inappropriate, wasteful and short-termist that it is beyond belief.

 

[Dai Corner]

On the assumption that Eurotaxis have taken up the option of extending the tender for service 626.

I find it very interesting that many of the services which are suddenly considered no longer commercially viable are very similar to corridors which WECA have earmarked for "innovative" new BSIP services. Winterbourne will probably get a bus every 15 minutes to Emersons Green to connect with the M3, because that's what passengers want (apparently). This whole BSIP/Enhanced Parnership/Bus Back Better scenario is so flawed, inappropriate, wasteful and short-termist that it is beyond belief.

To get round the 'you can't use this money to subsidise existing services' restriction they have to shake things up a bit I suppose?

 

[Simon75]

On the assumption that Eurotaxis have taken up the option of extending the tender for service 626.

I find it very interesting that many of the services which are suddenly considered no longer commercially viable are very similar to corridors which West of England Combined Authority (WECA) have earmarked for "innovative" new bus service improvement plan (BSIP) services. Winterbourne will probably get a bus every 15 minutes to Emersons Green to connect with the M3, because that's what passengers want (apparently). This whole BSIP/Enhanced Parnership/Bus Back Better scenario is so flawed, inappropriate, wasteful and short-termist that it is beyond belief.

Isn't it a bit like the Rural bus grant of some years , once the funding finishes, unless the route was viable , it would get withdrawn?

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

I can't help wondering if Stagecoach might have a swipe at it but that is a great deal of dead mileage for them and, from what I hear, they are short enough of drivers as it is.

Dave

Stagecoach Bristol are not adverse to running long dead mileages; my personal favourite was Chipping Sodbury-Newport when they linked a 622 with an AZ2…

 

[geoffk]

Or perhaps Alan Peters of Abus? He looked to be enjoying himself at the Bristol bus show on Sunday.




Statement from North Somerset Council this afternoon

Council working to save bus routes following more cuts

North Somerset Council is looking at ways to continue local services in response to the latest announcement of further cuts proposed by commercial bus company First

n-somerset.gov.uk

Slightly off the subject, why does the West of England Combined Authority not include North Somerset? It was after all part of Avon. Is this just politics? It's also an odd name for what is only the Greater Bristol area.

 

[Dai Corner]

Slightly off the subject, why does the West of England Combined Authority not include North Somerset? It was after all part of Avon. Is this just politics? It's also an odd name for what is only the Greater Bristol area.

I believe North Somerset Council declined to join Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset when WECA was formed.

 

[Revilo]

I believe North Somerset Council declined to join Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset when WECA was formed.

North Somerset spent 22 years trying to leave the Bristol-centric county of Avon, and always seeing itself as part of Somerset. They didn’t want Avon recreated in another form.

 

[freetoview33]

North Somerset spent 22 years trying to leave the Bristol-centric county of Avon, and always seeing itself as part of Somerset. They didn’t want Avon recreated in another form.

But now want in!

 

[Revilo]

But now want in!

The Council now want in because it’s run by a coalition of chaos, rather than the Conservatives. But let’s hope that they redeem themselves by saving the 126.

 

[Whiteway215]

Presumably if the 126 could be saved by becoming a supported service it would involve Somerset County Council (SCC) as well as North Somerset Council as so much of the route runs through SCC territory?

 

[Marcus Fryer]

The Y3 and Y4 going would leave Winterbourne with just one bus a day to Bristol, on the 626, now that the Eurotaxis EPR routes have also gone.

Have the EPR routes been withdrawn completely, or just for the school holidays? I thought they were run off the back of school bus contracts, presumably to claim Bus Service Operators Grant.